Back-stay protector



(No Model.)

O. J. RIELEY. BAGK STAY PROTECTOR.

No. 459,766. Patented Sept. 22, 1891.

Wbwmm' UNITED STATEs PATENT nron,

OY VEN J. RIELEY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

BACK-SITAY PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,766, datedSeptember 22, 1891.

Application filed March 9, 1891. Serial No. 384,384. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OWEN J. RIELEY, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Grand Rapids, Kent county, Michigan, haveinvented anew and useful appliance or attachment to attach to the backsof ladies or misses shoes and gaiters for the protection from wear ofthat part of said foot-wear which is covered by my attachment.

The name by whichI designate my said invention is back-stay protector.

My invention is, so far as I know, entirely.

original with me, and is not designed as an improvement upon any otherinvention of the same nature, but as original and unique in itself.

The reason why my invention is of use and value is this: In themanufacture of ladies and misses shoes and gaiters there is whatis knownas a backstay, which is a narrow strip of thick leather running on themiddle line of the back ,part from the top to the bottom of the upper(hereinafter described) of said shoe or gaiter, or is the seam made bystitching together in the back the two (2) sides of What is known as theupper, or all of said shoe above the tread or sole and where it iscomposed of a separate piece of leather that is firmly stitched inbetween or above the opposite sides of said upper, which is softer andmore pliable than the stay itself. The skirts, crinoline, andwearing-apparel of ladies and misses to agreat extent brush and rubagainst this part of their said footwear, and as a consequence the samegives way and Wears out sooner than any other. In damp and muddy weatherthe stay and the leather adjacent become wet, and the friction of theskirts, dress, and crinoline against it tends to weaken said stay and tovery rapidly wear out the same and the leather adjacent and to cause thestitches in said stay to give way. There has been nothing devised toobviate this tendency prior to this invention of mine.

Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent, respectively, side, bottom, and rearviews in perspective of a back stay protector as it appears constructedin accordance with my invention and attached in place to a shoe orgaiter. Figs. 4: and 5 represent, respectively, a front and rear view ofthe hook or fastener of the same.

The manner in which I accomplish this object is shown in theaccompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows a side view of a shoe or gaiter withthe protector applied to same, and a side view of the protector, exceptwhere it passes under the foot. Said protector, as here shown and untiljust before it reaches the edge of and where it passes under said shoeor gaiter, is of a uniform thickness of about the same as the leather tothe upper of said shoe or gaiter, and may be composed of rubber, thatbeing in my opinion the best material for the same, and of a width atthe top sufficient to cover that part of ashoe or gaiter known as a backstay, which has been heretofore explained, and gradually widening fromthe top or upper part of said shoe or gaiter to about the top of thecounter of same, and being held in place by one (1) narrow band of samematerial as the balance of said protector, it being a partof theprotector it self and being of just the proper length to press saidprotector closely against said backstay and hold the same in place bypassing under and pressing against the bottom of said shoe or gaiter atthe inside or breast of the heel thereof, j ust before reaching whichpoint it takes the shape of a round cord, or, remaining of the samewidth and shape, is simply increased in thickness, the lower end of thebody of said protector ending in a rounded, scalloped, or indented formsufficiently low so as to cover the back of said shoe or gaiter at itsgreatest protuberance and at about an inch or so below the point atwhich said band joins the same oneach side thereof. At the top of saidshoe or gaiter said protector attaches itself to the same by means of abrass or metal hook or fastener, which has a round cross-bar of the samewidth as the said protector at the top thereof, the top end of which,being passed over said cross-bar, is attached to the inside thereof bysome glutinous substance of the nature of glue, paste, or cement. Saidhook or fastener consists of one piece of brass or metal, and iscomposed of a lower round cross-bar and two (2) round parallel sidebars, each of which at about the length of one-half (t) the width ofsaid cross-bar bends inward, forming each the shape of an inverted U,with each lower end first and for two thirds t) of its lengthii'iclining inward and then flaring slightly outward, thus at itsnarrowest point closely embracing the leather near the top of said shoeor gaiter.

In Fig. l the letters a a designate the hook or fastener aforesaid fromthe c1'ossbartl1ereof, where said protector elasps it, to the pointwhere one prone; thereof disappears in the inside of said shoe orgaiter. Letters G designate the protector itself as it appears whenproperly attached to a shoe or gaiter from thepoint where it clasps thecrossbar of said hook or fastener to the point just out side of thebreast of the heel where it, in the form of. a cord or thickened band,passes under the sole of said shoe or gaiter.

Fig. shows a bottom View of a shoe or g'aiter with the protector inplace thereon in the shape of a round cord. Letters c designate theproteetorin thisshape on the inside or breast of the heel under the soleof said shoe or gaiter. I wish itdistinctly understood, however, thatinstead of a cord here the protector may be a thickened band, asheretofore explained.

Fig. 3 showsa back viewof a shoe orgaiter with the protector properlyapplied and placed thereon. Letters (1 (l d d designate theprotectoritseltentire, with the exception of the thickened round cord orthickened band, as the part shown will amiear when properly applied andadjusted to a shoe or gaiter for use.

Fig. 4 shows a front or outside View of the hook or fastener used,being" that part which in use appears on the outside of said shoe orgaiter and the cross-bar of which the band of said protector elasps.

Fig. 5 shows a back or inside View of said hook or fastener, being theinverted-U part which elasps the top of said shoe or gaiter.

The above drawings are all made on a scale of one-half (11,-) of theactual size.

The protector is to be made on what is known as a shoe form, so as toclosely fit and hug the back part of a ladys or inisss shoe or gaiter.

I claim- A back-stayproteetor consisting of a band of rubber, leather,or other suitable material adapted to cover the back-stay ot a shoe orgaiter, having a fastening-strap passing under and pressing the insideor breast of the heel thereof, and a brass or metal hook or fastenerclasping the upper at the top of the back-stay of said shoe or traitor,substantially as specified.

OWEN J. RIELEY.

"Witnesses:

Gmonon A. LOVETT, Pn'aoy SNYDER.

